Financial Support

What should I know about financial support?

The Discretionary Fund

The Discretionary Fund supports students who are experiencing severe financial difficulties. All UK/Home-funded undergraduates and postgraduates who are registered as either full-time or part-time (including those on Voluntary or Academic Suspension) who are studying 30 or more credits can apply to this fund if they find themselves facing financial difficulty. To be eligible for this award you must have applied for and be receiving if eligible the maximum amount of student funding, including loan, available to you. The Discretionary Fund provides support with unexpected or unplanned financial issues and should not be considered an alternative to securing financial support for study prior to registering. The Discretionary Fund cannot be used to pay any outstanding tuition fees. 

Discretionary Fund

The Emergency Aid Fund

The Emergency Aid Fund offers small short-term emergency loans to students facing immediate and urgent financial difficulty. There is no interest charged on these loans however you are expected to agree to and meet and repayment plan; you will have to demonstrate how you intend to do this by demonstrating that you have income of some kind, whether it’s from wages, student funding, or family support. All students can apply. The Emergency Aid Fund cannot be used to pay any outstanding tuition fees.

Emergency Aid Fund

The Housing Support Fund

The Housing Support Fund helps eligible students to resolve urgent housing matters, including from homelessness, rent arrears arising from crisis situations, or other circumstances beyond your control. The fund can award up to a maximum of £500. All students can apply. 

Housing Support Fund

The Mature Students Hardship Fund

The Mature Students Hardship Fund supports eligible students up to a maximum of £1000 with unexpected or unplanned for financial hardship. You must have applied for and be receiving all eligible statutory funding such as student loans and, if eligible, you must have applied for the Discretionary Fund. The Mature Students Hardship Fund cannot be used to pay any outstanding tuition fees.

Mature Students Hardship Fund

The Lady Eileen McDonald EU and International Student Fund

The Lady Eileen McDonald EU and International Student Fund supports EU and International students who are experiencing unexpected or unplanned financial hardship whilst studying. The maximum award available is up to £500. The EU and International Student Fund cannot be used to pay any outstanding tuition fees. 

Lady Eileen McDonald EU and International Student Fund

All the above funds with the exception of the Emergency Aid Fund are means tested which means you will be expected to demonstrate financial hardship by providing bank statements. 

What is the process for accessing budgeting and financial health support?

All the above named University funds can be applied for via the Financial Support Online Portal. This will ask you for information about your income and expenditure, your circumstances, any dependents you may have, and for any relevant supporting evidence including bills, evidence of your expenditures, and bank statements. This is to help them in building a picture of your situation so they can assess your application fairly and make sure you have access to any support that you should. 

Useful resources

Financial Support Online Portal